


Sincerity is Scary

by rosecliff



Series: Aphelion [2]
Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: Age Difference, Enemies With Benefits, Love Confessions, M/M, One-Sided Crush, Porn With Plot, Trans Male Character, Vaginal Sex, danny is trans, idk why so many people got that impression but uh! yeah no, older!Danny, there will be no pregnancy in this just fyi LMAO;;;
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-04
Updated: 2019-10-04
Packaged: 2020-11-23 20:36:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20895737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosecliff/pseuds/rosecliff
Summary: So, maybe, things weren't exactly going according to plan, not that Danny had a plan to begin with. It's hard to run out of time when there was nothing waiting at the end of it.Sequel to Odds and Ends.





	Sincerity is Scary

**Author's Note:**

> Oof, this SUPER got away from me. I only intended for it to be about 7k words, and, well, I guess I wrote 10k more than that. LMAO. A little porn in the beginning and then it mellows tf out. I hope it's a good read!
> 
> Feel free to let me know if there are any typos or grammatical errors!
> 
> 10/19/19: Edited out a part I was uncomfortable with that continously gave the wrong impression to readers. Hopefully it reads better and less uncomfortably now.

Dread swelled in Danny's gut for the entirety of the evening preceding the day of Vlad’s visit to the Fenton's on Tuesday.

With the realization that _maybe_ their situation wasn't a completely mutual, standard sort of "friends" with benefits arrangement (but at the same time _it was_, Danny insisted), Danny was left feeling entirely unsatisfied.

So, maybe, things weren't exactly going according to plan. Not that Danny had a plan to begin with.

Before Danny knew it, Tuesday came and went. He'd be lying if he said it was at all disappointing, though. While it was true he was progressively wanting more and more from this _thing_, it was easy as ever to appreciate what they already had. With a small, satisfied smile, Danny recalled the night.

By the time dinner was in full swing, Danny and Vlad both snuck off to the bathroom in the middle of the meal (staggered, of course). Danny left second, a couple minutes passing after Vlad’s initial departure. Sliding out of the dining room and into the front hall, Danny made for the staircase. If Vlad wasn't stupid--which he wasn't--he would surely have opted for the upstairs bathroom instead. It was safer. Unless, of course, Vlad's intent had actually been to use the bathroom.

Taking the steps two at a time, Danny bounded with excitement.

It didn't take long to find the bathroom; Danny's nerves prickled like static as he approached his destination. 

Steeling himself, Danny stood in front of the bathroom door, suddenly moving to fix his hair out of both nervousness and a certain shyness. Realizing he had no way of seeing what he looked like, he messed with his hair until it _felt_ right. With a self-satisfied sigh, Danny rapped his knuckles quietly on the door.

In no time at all, the door flung open. A hand reached out and grabbed Danny’s collar, and Danny yelped before he was pulled into the bathroom. He came face to face with Vlad, and it wasn’t like he could stop the giggle that bubbled from his lips as the door clicked shut behind him. Vlad was hunched over him, pinning Danny against the door, hand splayed next to Danny’s face. Danny looked up at him with mock-innocence. Vlad looked irritated.

“I was worried you weren’t going to come.”

“_Please_,” Danny snorted, running his hands along Vlad’s chest. “I like to think we’re on a wavelength.”

It wasn’t like the fact wasn’t true--the two _had_ gotten pretty good at reading the other's intentions, and Vlad sneaking off to the bathroom was no exception. Danny liked to think he knew Vlad better than anybody else, but stubbornly refused to acknowledge that Vlad could possibly ever know him just as well.

“It’d be weird if I came here and you were pooping.” Danny added as an afterthought.

Vlad’s brow set low, judgement apparent in his gaze. 

“What? It’s a joke! Sheesh,” Danny laughed, leaning forward to kiss Vlad.

The risk they were taking was higher than it had ever been before, what with only a floor and flimsy door separating them from Danny’s family. Not as ballsy as using the downstairs bathroom would have been, but still. Danny knew that it was dangerous--but he sort of wanted to get caught, in a way, at least in the theory of the thing. Logically, he knew that happening in actuality would be his gravest mistake, something irreversible and honestly devastating, but, all the same. The thrill of it intrigued him.

Besides, it was a moot point. In the end, Danny knew they wouldn't get caught (in this situation, or any like it). And, it was obvious Vlad knew it too. Danny could keep quiet, and he had no doubt his elder would force him into silence if need be. That thought should have worried Danny, but instead, it egged on his anticipation.

Vlad locked the door.

Taking the cue, Danny lifted himself up onto the counter that held the sink, spreading his legs for Vlad to situate himself between. Vlad chuckled, leaning down to kiss him again. Danny fluttered his eyes shut just before Vlad pulled away from the all too tender kiss. It didn’t last, which was disappointing--Danny had been expecting something a little longer. With mild irritation he opened his eyes, just in time to see Vlad’s gaze flit downtoo his crotch, if only for a split second.

Large, calloused hands gripped Danny's hips tightly, but that was fine--Danny liked the feeling of being held, rough or otherwise, at least in this context. Vlad pressed their pelvises flush together, and Danny let out a shuddering sigh as he felt Vlad's erection press up again his groin. In that moment, he seriously wished that pants and underwear weren't in the way. 

Luckily notions such as clothing didn't matter too much at the rate they were headed. It was only a matter of time before Danny would get what he wanted.

Danny reached his hands up to cling to the lapels of Vlad's casual jacket, a hushed whine escaping his lips. The fabric was softer than Danny was expecting and felt nice against his skin--not as nice as Vlad's skin would feel under his touch, he was sure, but nice no less. Be that as it may, he tugged at the offending garment.

"Phase off, please," He requested. 

"Impatient, are we?"

"It's not like we have a lot of time," Danny explained with a roll of his eyes. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you _want_ to get caught."

"That would be quite problematic for a multitude of reasons," Vlad replied, thumbs hooking on Danny's belt loops before phasing his jeans off, allowing them to fall to the floor. A shaky sigh escaped Danny's lips at the feeling of cool air against his thighs, and his eyes slipped shut as Vlad leaned down to nip at his neck (which was still a little sore from the night before, but he liked the feeling of Vlad pressing tender kisses against old bruises). A soft moan carried through the air, and lips curled into a smile over sharp teeth piercing skin.

Danny's hands dropped down to grab at the hem of his own boxers, phasing them off and tossing them aside.

"Your turn," Danny groaned impatiently. Vlad chuckled as he pulled away from Danny, tongue lapping at the blood that dripped from the bite left in his wake. Danny shuddered. 

"No time," Vlad reminded, unzipping his pants, and in a split second, his erection sprung out.

Danny paused, opening his eyes, and smiled.

"So this time _you're_ the one not wearing underwear." He spoke in mild wonder. "Fuck, that's hot."

"I aim to please. And I intend to continue to do so."

A contented, embarrassed smile forced its way onto Danny's face. Glee curled in his stomach like a hook, tugging his stomach in every direction, and he couldn’t help but feel foolishly special and cared for. 

Vlad wasted no time in positioning himself against Danny's crotch. He smeared precum in between the wetness of Danny's labia, allowing Danny's arousal to coat his dick with slickness. After a few soft thrusts back and forth against Danny's clit, he pulled away, pressing the head of his cock against Danny's entrance. The action caused Danny to involuntarily inhale, sharply. The room suddenly felt a whole lot warmer, but Danny knew it was his own temperature rising to the occasion. 

By this point, he was embarrassingly wet and they'd fucked enough more than enough in the past week to jump right in. There really wasn’t a need for much preparation when they were fucking every other day (not to mention Danny masturbating in the interim). Both weren’t strangers to how their arrangement worked, and that included knowing one another’s bodies inside and out. 

Vlad pressed in, in full, and Danny involuntarily curled his toes in his socks as he mewled in sheer elation. It was strange, and completely unlike the first time they’d had sex. Their first time _hurt_ when Vlad pushed into him, and Danny felt like he wasn’t walking correctly for a few days after the fact. Given, their first time was overrun with adrenaline, annoyance, irritation, and bad ideas fueled by generic horniness, but still. Danny liked that he’d grown accustomed to taking Vlad’s dick. It made things far easier.

"I'll never get over how that feels," He chuckled, rolling his head to the side. Vlad's lips were against his neck in an instant, not missing the invitation. Vlad's cock throbbed inside him, heat blossoming from one man to the other. Danny loved the feeling, and let out an appreciative, breathy moan.

“And I’ll never get over how you _sound_,” Vlad mumbled against his neck, punctuating the word with a shallow thrust. The only response Danny gave was a breathy laugh, hitching with a moan half-way through.

After that it was, for the most part, business as usual. Vlad pulled out and thrust back in, a hand sliding up Danny's shirt. Danny couldn't help but moan again, overwhelmed by all the attention Vlad graced him with. He didn't have much time to fight for his focus as another hand slid up his shirt, grazing along his skin with a feather-light touch as it made its way up.

Danny sighed and adjusted himself on the counter, inching back as to make himself more comfortable. Vlad paused to allow him space to resituate. In the quiet of the moment, Vlad’s ragged breaths filled the air, interrupted by a particularly deep sigh from the man. But as soon as the pause came, it went, and Vlad resumed his previous actions. He glided in and out of Danny with repetitive ease, his breaths escalating with each thrust. Danny let out small, unabashed moans, having a hard time focusing on each sensation; Vlad's cock inside of him, Vlad's teeth tearing into his neck followed by gentle licks and kisses, and Vlad's hands teasing Danny's nipples and chest--it was almost too much to bear, and Danny knew he wouldn't last long (which was _probably_ Vlad's intention). 

Danny butterflied his legs apart as wide as they would go, trying to give Vlad a better angle to hit his sweet spot. It didn't take longer than a few seconds--Vlad knew all too well what Danny liked and how Danny wanted it. Danny liked to think it complemented Vlad’s own needs, reluctant to let himself think of Vlad’s skill in the field as anything more than self-serving. It just so happened that what felt good to Vlad felt _incredible_ to Danny.

Still...the man knew how to read Danny better than most people, Danny reluctantly thought. It was no wonder it took no time for Vlad to strike the jackpot, making Danny see stars.

"Vla-ad," His voice broke a little too loudly. "I-I'm gonna," Came the simple warning, knowing if he tried to explain further he might compromise their location. Besides, there wasn’t any need for elaboration.

"Good," Vlad grunted, thrusting in roughly, eliciting a yelp from Danny. "Then cum for me, Daniel."

The statement was one Danny had heard more than enough times, but it still caused him to snap his eyes open as a broken curse tumbled out of his mouth, transmuting into a desperate hybrid call of the man’s name and his expletive of choice. Vlad pounded into him relentlessly, and Danny was more than hitting his high, each thrust prolonging his orgasm in small, shaky waves. Danny’s muscles spasmed and tightened around Vlad's length, which still moved in and out of him. There was no end in sight--not that Danny could see. In his state, at least, he had a hard time thinking past even a split second. 

Vlad took in a sharp, shuddering breath before he pushed deep into Danny, stilling as he came. Danny let his eyes fall shut, revelling in the feeling of Vlad's release inside of him. He was awestruck in the heat of it, finding himself _wildly_ turned on by the feeling, yet simultaneously spent and satisfied.

A moment passed, the room filled with their shallow breaths.

...They had never not used a condom, Danny realized. Before this moment, that is.

Vlad had cum inside of him, just now, and his glazed eyes slid open in slow realization.

Danny shuddered as Vlad pulled out. Slowly, Vlad lifted his face from Danny’s neck, meeting Danny's dazed stare with his own.

Danny felt a little cocky about the whole thing, and grinned lazily.

"You…" Danny began. "You came inside me," He stated, point blank. Vlad stilled. 

Danny felt the cum leak out of him, hesitated, and allowed himself to glance down and stare. He wasn't exactly at the best angle to see, but he liked to feeling. It was a little erotic.

"I…" Vlad licked his lips. "Is that alright?"

"...Yeah, it's cool," Danny began after a second, and saw Vlad visibly relax. With a chuckle, he leaned forward and captured Vlad's mouth in a soft, intimate kiss. "I should pee, though."

Vlad smirked, rolling his eyes. "Ah, yes. What we pretended to come up here for." 

"Speaking of, you should get back before it gets suspicious." Danny slipped off the counter and ushered Vlad to the door before sitting on the toilet. Vlad laughed, shaking his head as he did up the fly to his pants. Vlad turned his attention to the mirror, fixing his hair and jacket. If Danny didn’t know better, he’d say Vlad was checking himself out--and he supposed he couldn’t blame him. 

Vlad was, in Danny’s mind, the textbook definition of silver fox. Well, maybe. Danny wasn’t sure if Vlad’s age matched the part, but it didn’t change the fact that he was quite handsome. Danny couldn’t blame Vlad for recognizing his own attractiveness--and that self-confidence made Vlad _even more_ attractive to Danny. 

Satisfied with his look, Vlad directed his attention to the sink, fixing the soap bottles and toothbrushes they had knocked over in their risky escapade. Only once nothing sat out of place did Vlad wash his hands. With nothing else to do, he turned for the door.

Danny opened his mouth to speak just as Vlad looked back over his shoulder at him, and their eyes locked. Heartbeat skipping out of his chest, Danny smiled with a certain dopiness, letting his mouth hang open before finally snapping it shut. He couldn't say anything else.

A satisfied smile was plastered on Vlad's face as he turned away, exiting and leaving Danny alone with his thoughts and feelings. 

The bathroom door shut. Danny looked up at the ceiling.

"Damnit," He sighed, closing his eyes.

Once he finished peeing and cleaning himself up, Danny pulled his forgotten clothes back on, leaving the bathroom and descending back down the stairs. Danny entered the dining room, plopping back into his seat. His father was animatedly gesturing as he explained a new invention to Vlad--nobody seemed to pay Danny's return any mind. For a moment, his eyes met with Vlad's, and he smiled, looking back down at his plate bashfully before continuing to eat. Jazz looked between the two, her brow furrowing. Her eyes lingered on Danny a little longer than Vlad, and widened slightly.

Danny entirely missed the stare his sister fixed him with, totally focused on Vlad and Vlad alone, dopey smile never leaving his face.

The rest of the meal went off without a hitch, as anticipated. Danny checked the wall clock.

It was getting late. 

Once the family (plus Vlad, who Danny refused to think of as a member of their family, for obvious reasons) finished dinner, Danny took the dirty dishes to the sink.

It wasn’t long after that when Vlad declared that he was going home, and made way for the door.

Although, it was foolish for Vlad to think he could simply up and leave without another word. Jack followed him to the door, rambling on about something or other that Danny didn’t understand, but the small smile that sat on Vlad’s face as his father spoke was cute. Idly, Danny wondered when Vlad let go of his resentment toward the man. Or, if he had to begin with. If he still hadn’t, then Vlad had gotten _far_ better at hiding it.

After Vlad slipped his shoes on, he turned to the other man. Jack instantly crushed Vlad in a hug, much to Vlad's obvious dismay, followed by Maddie skirting around Jack to hug him as well. Their hug was a little less uninhibited, and there was a gingerly quality about it from Maddie’s end (understandable, Danny thought). Still, Vlad smiled as they hugged, thanking her for inviting him over.

Danny ignored the pang of jealousy the interaction caused, but shoved past the feeling. Danny felt an odd certainty that Vlad's pursuit of his mother wasn't something he need worry himself with anymore. 

Next Vlad turned to Jazz, nodding at her with a smile as he gave his goodbye, a little more formal than the other two--it was obvious there was still a rocky sense of trust between the two, despite all the time that had passed. Danny supposed it made sense--Jazz had been around Vlad even less than him since he’d grown closer with their parents.

Lastly and finally, Vlad’s gaze fell on Danny. 

Danny felt his mouth go dry and he smiled cheekily. There was a moment of pause. With one second more of hesitation, Danny moved to hug Vlad, who stilled in his embrace. It didn't last long, and Danny pulled away in mild embarrassment before the other could so much as return the hug. Vlad stared at Danny with something that couldn't be described as anything short of awe. Danny was about to look away in sheepishness with an apology before Vlad gazed at him with an endeared fondness and ruffled his hair.

Danny wondered if it would have been something more intimate had they been alone, but he'd take what he could get. It felt nicer this way, actually...

Vlad left shortly after giving his goodbyes to each Fenton.

Feeling warm and bubbly, Danny returned to the kitchen and began to make quick work of washing the dishes, humming an off-key melody to some top-40 love song.

Soapy suds coated Danny's hands as they worked through the miscellaneous grease and grime, mindlessly scrubbing away as he found himself lost in thoughts of Vlad.

The phantom feeling of Vlad’s hand running through his hair haunted Danny, somehow more than the other touches the two shared throughout the night. Danny was having a harder and harder time grappling with his feelings for the man, which he knew was more than problematic. But Danny had no idea how to even begin reeling in his heart from the situation, and besides, there couldn’t be harm in a small crush, right? Crushes could be just that and nothing more. It was only something fun to focus on, and to think of another person in such a warm light that left Danny feeling pleasantly queasy. He didn’t expect anything to come of it. Things were fine and fun as they were. Danny could pretend he was special to Vlad, and that was enough.

"Danny?" A hesitant voice carried through the air before his sister appeared at his side. Her gaze was quizzical yet worried, but the thing Danny noted above all else was that it was painted with doubt. Why?

"Huh?" He paused, looking to his sister. "Yeah? What's up?"

"Are you feeling okay…?"

"Yes?" Danny cocked his head at her, looking back down to the dishes and resuming his scrubbing. "What? Do I seem like something’s wrong?"

"...No," Jazz began slowly. "Well, sort of. And that's the problem."

Danny furrowed his brow, hands slowing. He set the last dish aside on the drying rack, shutting off the water.

"What are you talking about?"

He dried his hands, looking to Jazz expectantly. 

"What do you think you're…" She paused, rethinking her words. It seemed as though she was hoping Danny would catch her implications on his own, though. "Danny…”

“I can’t read your mind, Jazz.”

She frowned. "...What...What you're doing with Vlad...is wrong. He should know better--_you_ should know better."

Danny paused, jaw stiffening before he looked away in annoyance. He scoffed.

"...What I'm doing with Vlad? What are you talking about?"

"I'm not stupid, Danny. I know you know that." Jazz frowned. "You both leave the table, and then _you_ come back with…" She glanced down at his neck, and Danny internally cursed himself as his hand snapped up to cover one of the hickey-bite hybrids. His eyes went wide.

"These are from yesterday," He insisted quickly. A half lie, since two of them _were_, but the other handful were so obviously fresh, the blood only recently having dried in place.

Danny really needed to stop forgetting about his hickeys. In his state of euphoric post-coital delirium, it never crossed his mind. He underestimated the power of observation. This was the second time in less than 24 hours that he’d been so clumsy; Danny was lucky his parents hadn’t noticed with how sloppy he was being. On top of that, he never even told Vlad that Sam and Tucker knew--he didn't really have time, let alone the right time, and it wasn't like they were secretly dating, so was it so wrong for Vlad to not know? It really wasn’t Vlad’s business, as far as Danny was concerned. And besides, as far as his friends knew, he ended things with Vlad. That was just as well.

"Plus, you _hugged_ him. What was that?"

"It--It isn't anything--" Danny finally stammered, giving himself away. "It's just--easy, and it doesn't mean anything, it's just--it feels good. He makes me feel good, he--"

"What?" Jazz began, her gaze full of disbelief. "I mean," She seemed unsure, as if she couldn't broach the subject. "I _figured_ it was _just_ sex," She spoke in a hushed tone. "But--"

"It is," Danny insisted, rolling his eyes. "We're not dating, so it's not like it's a problem."

Sometimes, Danny really hated how perceptive his sister was. Having this conversation with Sam and Tucker had been bad enough--this was too much. Danny could practically see the cogs turning behind her eyes as she listened to him. Leave it to Jazz to overanalyze every piece of evidence Danny presented her with.

"...I know you know that's wrong." Jazz frowned, placing a hand on his shoulder. Danny glanced down at it as if it had offended him. "...Danny, I just want you to be careful. Your feelings for Vlad are only going to get you hurt. Sex alone is one thing--and I don't agree with it, but you're--"

"I don't have feelings for Vlad," Danny interrupted, face flushing and heart racing. "I don't know where you got _that_ from."

Jazz frowned, looking away from him. 

Silence blanketed the two siblings. Danny bit his lower lip, feeling the need to say _something_, anything to stop the anxiety from swirling in his gut. As it were, Danny didn’t know if Jazz would say or do anything--it wasn’t like there was some sort of counselor she could direct Danny to, like in high school, and Danny liked to think she wouldn’t compromise this situation to their parents. Still, he had to be sure. 

"Jazz, please, just, don't..." He swallowed thickly. "Please don't tell anyone. You _can’t_ tell anyone. Please. I just--I like how things are. It works. He's not hurting me. Does it really matter?"

Jazz’s hand fell away from his shoulder. For the most part, Danny couldn’t get a read on her expression or what she must have been thinking, but he could easily spot concern.

"Did he brainwash you?” She asked incredulously. At Danny’s glare in response, she slumped her shoulders. He couldn’t blame her--it was harder for him to recognize how absurd the situation was given that he was _in_ it, but it wasn’t lost on him that there was an innumerable amount of factors that made the situation completely messed up. 

Danny listed off each problem in his mind: Vlad was more than double Danny’s age, for one. Vlad had known him since he was _fourteen_, which somehow made what they were doing feel more wrong (but Danny would be lying if he said it didn’t make him like the situation more, which said...something about himself). Vlad was Danny’s arch enemy--Vlad had tried to clone him, tried to hurt him, _did_ hurt him more times than her cared to remember.

But Vlad was also surprisingly sweet and thoughtful, and while their arrangement wasn’t traditional by any means, Danny knew Vlad had his back, if push came to shove.

It didn’t give Vlad a free pass with everything, but Danny knew he could, of all things, trust Vlad.

Jazz sighed. “....I--...I won't. But--” Their eyes met. “He might not be intentionally hurting you, but I don't think you realize the weight of this situation."

"You don't know what you're talking about," Danny scoffed. "I know what I'm doing. I know what this is, what I've gotten myself into--and I know he'll never like me back, so--" He drew his mouth into a thin line as he gave himself away yet again. "...Just--I know, okay? So I won't get hurt."

With blatant doubt, Jazz shook her head and turned to leave.

"I don't know, Danny."

_____________

June came and went.

Danny and Vlad continued their ever changing game.

Sam and Tucker eyed Danny wearily each time he went off to "fight" the man.

Jazz reluctantly turned a blind eye from him and Vlad sneaking off during Vlad's visits.

However, Danny had yet to make use of Vlad's phone number, unable to bring himself to shoot so much as a text. It had been two weeks since he’d initially entered the contact information into his phone. Danny wasn’t sure what he was waiting for.

He had been mindlessly scrolling social media on his laptop as he laid sprawled across his bed, making idle chit-chat with Sam and Tucker over instant messaging. If he were being honest, he didn't really follow the conversation, adding a "lol" or "lmao" where appropriate. 

His eyes glazed over as his thoughts were consumed with the older half-ghost--it seemed as though that was all he thought about lately. When Danny wasn't with Vlad, he felt a needy yearning in his chest, paired with a certain loneliness he couldn't place.

Danny dreamed, fantasized of Vlad. He managed to suffocate the more intimate, romantic fantasies, settling for the sexual ones. It was easier that way.

As if sex on the regular wasn't enough, in his abundance of spare time (and with nothing better to do), Danny would lock himself in his room and masturbate. The purchase of a vibrator about a week ago was the best idea Danny had in a long time, decidedly, and the toy promptly replaced his fingers when he went solo.

The vibrator was quite pretty, in it's own way, for what it was. The object had large, descending ridges, and was a pleasant, calming baby blue. Danny wasn’t sure what drew him to buying that specific color; when his eyes had fallen on it, it just felt right. Once the package arrived and he tore into it, he noted that it wasn’t unlike the complexion of Plasmius (though, in a half-lie to himself, he claimed the happenstance unintentional). Despite this, and rather pathetically, Danny couldn't help but pretend it was the older man, and talked to the wind as he worked the toy in and out of himself--uttering small "I love you, Daniel"'s to the room as he came, followed by shameful stares at the ceiling accompanied by pained disappointment. Danny knew he'd never hear the words from the man of his affections, but the fantasy was nice. Even if it hurt.

Danny closed his laptop with an anguished sigh. 

Pulling out his phone, he composed a text message, typing in Vlad's name to find his number.

"hey" Danny headed his text, pressing his head back into his pillow as he stared at the ceiling. With a sigh, he returned to his phone. He typed: "hows it going??"

Hesitating with his thumb hovering over the send button, Danny bit his lower lip. He wasn't sure why he was so anxious to text Vlad--it wasn't like Vlad wouldn't be expecting a message, but in part, Danny was hoping Vlad would have texted him first by now.

The fact was that Danny missed him, and therefore couldn’t wait any longer. Such a notion as Vlad texting him first was nothing short of wishful thinking.

Without further thought on the matter, Danny sent the message, locking his phone and setting it on his chest. He closed his eyes, heart racing off tempo. 

Five minutes passed, followed by ten more, and no vibration signaling a text came. Danny’s gut coiled with anxiety, but he stifled the feeling as best he could manage. More minutes came and went, but still, nothing happened.

Danny drifted off to sleep waiting.

A few hours later, Danny woke up in a startle. Warm purples and pinks stained the walls, the sunset waning on the horizon through his window. Summer air drifted in through a crack in the windowpane, leaving the ambiance of the room feeling sublimely calming.

Danny stretched, yawning lazily as his phone slid off his chest. With a waking blink, he sat up, snatching the phone and unlocking it. He found himself grinning as a text from Vlad waited for him. Danny opened the message, reading it over, chest pounding with excitement.

His heart stopped, and he kicked his legs and giggled loudly as he read over the text again, flinging himself back down onto the bed.

The message read:

"Hello Daniel. I'm well, are you doing alright? I was just thinking about you. I miss you quite terribly."

Danny's heart skipped beat after beat as he reread the message, pretending that Vlad adored him and missed more than just his body.

With a dreamy sigh, Danny composed his reply.

"youre SO cheesy" He sent, quickly sending a follow up text. "im good! i fell asleep, but im awake now" Danny felt flustered as he sent that text, realizing it was probably an unnecessary and boring detail that Vlad didn't really care to know. He sent another text. "can i come over tonigt?" Initially missing the typo, Danny sent _yet another_ text to amend it. "tonight**".

Once his nerves calmed, he sat up and stretched again, Danny checked the time in the corner of his phone screen. 

7:27.

His phone buzzed in his hand as Vlad's message popped up on the screen.

"How adorable." Danny could practically hear the sarcasm that dripped from the message, but he liked to pretend it held sincerity. The message continued, "I am in fact free tonight, if you would like to come over."

"HELL yeah" Came Danny’s prompt reply, fingers moving on their own before he even had time to think. In his double-texting fashion, he replied again. "can i come now???"

Vlad's response came after five minutes.

"I just finished the last of my work, so that would be acceptable."

"sweet" Danny replied instantly. "im omw"

Danny pocketed his phone and flung himself off the bed, making his way out the door. He jogged down the stairs, only to stumble into his mother. 

"Danny!" Maddie smiled despite their collision. "Dinners ready--I was coming to get you, hun."

"Oh," Danny's heart sank. He furrowed his brow before perking up. "I...was actually on my way out to see a movie with Sam and Tucker."

"Oh!" Maddie smiled, none the wiser to Danny's lie. He only felt a little bad.

Jazz peeked out of the archway to the dining room, watching the two talk, and Danny fought the urge to throw a glare her way. It wasn’t like there was anything to snoop on (Danny lied to himself--he’d be suspicious too if the situation were flipped--he didn’t dare think on _that_ for longer than a passing thought, though).

"Well, I suppose that's alright,” Maddie continued, “I'll save your plate in the fridge."

Danny grinned. "Cool, thanks!" He skirted around his mother to the doorway, slipping on his sneakers.

With a slow blink, he weighed his options with Vlad for the night. In his wildest dreams, he wanted to stay over, but Danny wasn’t so far gone that he couldn’t recognize that was unrealistic. 

"Oh! I'll probably be home late, um, so don't worry!" Danny smiled over his shoulder.

"Okay, Danny," Maddie hummed, nodding as she took note of the information. "Have fun!"

He locked eyes with Jazz, quickly averting his gaze in mild guilt. Knowing Jazz, she definitely picked up on that, and had figured out his true plans for the evening.

It didn't matter. Even if she knew where he was going, she wouldn't say a word. Or stop him.

With a two fingered salute, Danny turned for the door and left.

_____________

Danny glided lazily through the cool summer breeze en route to Vlad's house. Excitement coiled in his chest like a slinky, wondering what it would be like to spend time with Vlad without fighting beforehand. Warmth crept through his nerves as he let his thoughts wander, wondering if they would do anything different--maybe Vlad would make him dinner (unlikely, he knew) or they could watch a movie (just as unlikely).

Danny stumbled to a landing on Vlad's doorstep, glancing around the dimly lit posh neighborhood before transforming from Phantom to Fenton. He rung the doorbell and rolled from his heels and back to the balls of his feet, humming happily.

After a moment, Vlad opened the door.

"Daniel," He greeted, an amused lilt in his voice. "You certainly make good time."

Danny grinned, lightly punching Vlad on the shoulder before shoving passed. "Please," He laughed as Vlad shut the door behind him. "It’d be _oh_ so rude of me to keep you waiting." 

Danny looked around the entryway, taking in the high vaulted ceilings of the room. Beautiful paintings were hung on the walls, and Danny idly noted that Vlad had quite a bit of art--not surprising. However, he was curious as to where all the Packer’s merchandise must have been hiding. There was no way Vlad didn’t have any.

Warm lighting filled the hall, and a soft, royal blue rug laid upon the floor, that led up to a staircase from the doorway--the former sitting at the focal point of the room.

Danny felt Vlad's presence approach behind him and turned to look up at the man, no time passing before Vlad's hands cupped his face. Danny let out a small gasp before lips were claimed in an affectionate kiss. His eyes slid shut, bringing his hands to rest on Vlad's chest. 

It wasn't deeper than it needed to be--just a simple greeting. 

Vlad pulled away after a moment and Danny opened his eyes, flashing a lopsided dopey smile to the man.

"Hey," Danny greeted.

Vlad chuckled sheepishly. 

"Hello."

A beat passed. Vlad’s brow scrunched in thought.

"What's….'ohmwuh'?" 

"Huh?" Danny cocked his head in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"Your text," Vlad clarified with a frown. "I didn't understand it."

"Oh," Danny blinked. "Ohh! It’s the letters. O-M-W. It stands for ‘on my way’." He explained.

"Then why not just say that? You compose your texts like an elementary schooler."

"Hey, rude." Danny pouted. “It wastes less time.”

Vlad chuckled fondly, leaning down to capture Danny's lips in another chaste kiss. Danny couldn’t help but sigh as an almost nauseous feeling bloomed in his chest, bleeding into a cosiness that left Danny feeling a little (for lack of a better word) lovesick.

With a grin, he pulled away and kicked off his shoes at the entryway before grasping Vlad's hand in his own. Taking the lead, Danny dragged Vlad up the stairs; Vlad, who followed without protest.

Danny had no idea where anything in this house was, but he was sure he could figure it out. The pair walked passed a handful of rooms, but Danny had a feeling none were the one he had in mind. It wasn't long before Danny lost patience and finally tested his luck with a random door, tugging Vlad--who hesitated for a moment before following--into the room. Danny flicked on the lights, which blanketed the space in a comforting, dim light.

It wasn't the bedroom, like Danny was hoping, but he wasn't exactly disappointed. A large television sat in an equally large entertainment unit.

The room itself was covered in everything and anything pertaining to the Green Bay Packers. A framed and signed Jersey was hung on the wall, along with all sorts of miscellaneous memorabilia--pennants, trophies, balls--you name it.

Danny had to laugh. He knew that he’d find that piece of Vlad somewhere in the house, but he wasn’t anticipating just how quickly that’d happen. After taking stock of the room, Danny pulled Vlad around the couches that framed a coffee table in front of the television.

"You're such a dork, y'know that?"

Vlad scoffed.

"I assure you I’m not. A dork, as you so kindly put it, is something I resent being called."

"Yeah, you are," Danny noted after Vlad’s long-winded mouthful of a sentence. Vlad huffed before Danny continued. "Come on, all this stuff? It's cute. It makes you more charming, in my opinion."

The truth was, Danny liked seeing the small glimpses at the man's humanity, after everything they had been through. It made him feel a little more secure in his feelings, like he was more valid in liking somebody who was _human_ (partially), and like he wasn't quite in over his head with their situation. Their situation being, the assumed hero of Amity Park being in a forbidden sort of twisted “romance” with his arch enemy. In that context, this seemed even more taboo than it already was. A public reveal of their relationship as Phantom and Plasmius would cause nothing short of a revolt, Danny decided.

Still, his face flushed at the thought. 

"Charming, am I?" Vlad snorted. "You're being rather flirtatious tonight."

Danny rolled his eyes. 

"I _so_ am not."

He flopped down on the couch, easily making himself comfortable. Vlad quirked an eyebrow at him with a smile and snort, following Danny's lead. Except, instead of making himself comfortable on the couch, the man crawled over Danny in an _absolutely_ predatory fashion. 

Danny let out a small giggle, staring up into Vlad's eyes.

This situation felt so intimate compared to their other encounters--at the very least, it felt that way to Danny. Alone together, in Vlad's house, no fighting, no ghosts, just...togetherness. Simple, wholesome intimacy.

It was wrong.

If projecting his own hopes was an art form, Danny would be well-renowned with his work displayed in a gallery. Wrong, it may be, but to Danny it felt right.

Vlad sighed, pulling Danny from his reverie. It wasn’t long before he was cupping Danny's face with one hand and leaning down to kiss him. Danny smiled against Vlad's lips, kissing back, and threw his arms around the older man's neck in an attempt to draw them closer. 

The hand on his face traced it's way down Danny's face, then to chest, to abdomen, before settling on his hip. Vlad propped himself up on his elbow with his free arm, relaxing against Danny without quite crushing him.

Danny sighed, easing into the sofa as their kiss deepened. The hand on his hip shifted again, and Vlad's arm came to wrap around his waist.

It was really weird, when he truly thought about it--Danny loved the feeling of being with Vlad, which was something he would have _never_ anticipated. He loved how his own body felt pressed up against the older man--it wasn't a perfect fit, not by a long shot, like a lot of things with their relationship, but it was enough for Danny. There was small comfort in that.

His thoughts were stained with the state of their relationship as they kissed. Danny thought about how much he wanted more, more than what this was, and he hated knowing that it was both platonic and not--how Danny yearned for the latter. At this point, there wasn't much Danny wouldn't give to be with Vlad, much to his (and everyone else's) dismay.

Would it be such a crime to be special to his nemesis (were they even enemies anymore? Danny didn't know, but they weren't exactly friends, either)? While Danny knew that the answer was yes, he couldn't help but think it was meant to be--they weren't made for eachother, he couldn't deny that. And yet, Danny couldn't help but feel they were. The two were the world's only half-ghosts--wouldn't it make sense to end up by one another's side? Their relationship made complete sense to Danny, all the while leaving him feeling remarkably disoriented.

Somewhere along the line, Danny had stopped kissing Vlad, as he lost himself to his thoughts. Vlad's lips slowed against Danny’s before the older man pulled away.

"Daniel?" Vlad asked quietly, shifting his hand to once again rest on Danny's hip.

Danny didn't reply, but pressed his head against the crook of Vlad's neck. Vlad let out a soft sigh, squeezing Danny gently.

"Is everything alright?" 

The concern in the tone made Danny feel both hot and cold, butterflies fluttering in his stomach. How he wished that concern meant something more. 

“Sorry,” Danny began, closing his eyes. “I’m just not…I don't think I'm actually in the mood.”

“...It’s alright,” Vlad spoke carefully as he sat up off of Danny. “I suppose we don’t have to do anything today if you aren’t feeling well." Vlad paused. "Do you want to go home?”

"No!” Danny instantly replied. “...No, I wanna stay, it’s…” He hesitated. “It isn’t that.” He sat up, staring at Vlad before looking away. Danny’s heart raced as he thought of confessing his feelings, but he was afraid of doing so. That didn’t change anything. He promised himself he would never do such a thing; that he wouldn't ruin this.

Could Vlad feel the same way?

...No. Danny knew that. His heart sank.

Danny looked back at Vlad and stared, searching the man’s eyes almost desperately. 

Vlad raised an eyebrow at him, leaning back on the couch, all the while maintaining eye contact with Danny. He opened his mouth to speak, thought better of it, and then closed it again. Danny _almost_ felt curious to what he was going to say (who was he kidding--he wished he knew what was going through Vlad’s head, most of the time). 

Danny sighed, sat up, and faced the man quietly. Flashing a sheepish smile, he laughed, soft, hushed, as though if his voice rose any higher it would give something away--what, he didn’t know. His feelings, probably. Vlad returned his smile in amicable confusion.

Danny sighed, looking down at his lap.

With great hesitation, Vlad raised a hand, hovering it over Danny’s cheek for a moment. After a single beat, he slipped his fingers through Danny’s hair instead.

A sigh slipped from Danny’s lips. Comforted, Danny closed his eyes as he relaxed against the touch.

“Can we watch a movie or something?” He asked abruptly, cutting through the quiet. “I-I mean, I don’t want to totally waste the time I took to come here. Um, and besides, it could be fun."

Vlad paused. Danny opened his eyes again, meeting Vlad's calculative expression. 

"...If…" Vlad cocked his head in uncertainty. "If that's what you want."

"What do you want to watch?" Danny asked, ignoring Vlad’s mild confusion.

"...Somehow, I'm not sure we have the same taste in film," Vlad mused thoughtfully, standing and striding over to his DVD collection, gliding his fingers along the spines of their cases. Danny flopped back down and rolled on his side as he watched Vlad peruse the collection. 

Calloused hands settled on one option, and Vlad pulled it out. He turned, holding up the case in question.

Danny arched a brow curiously, bewildered by Vlad's choice.

"Scooby Doo?" He questioned with a chuckle.

"...Yes," Vlad spoke thoughtfully, turning the case over in his hands to look at the cover. "I find it rather fun. Perhaps you do as well? Assuming you’re familiar. Maybe you’re too young for Scooby Doo."

Danny gave a dramatic roll of his eyes, but still, couldn't help but smile, finding a sweetness and thoughtfulness in the pick.

"Yeah, _duh_, I like Scooby Doo," Danny smiled, making Vlad smile, and the man shifted his focus to insert the disk into the system. Vlad turned on the whole set up, and before they knew it, the DVD sat on it's home menu. Danny sat up, ruffling his own hair and making himself comfortable. Vlad came to sit next to him, remote in hand, and hit play. “I’m not _that_ young…” Danny mumbled in an afterthought. Either Vlad didn’t hear, or elected to ignore the comment.

They watched in silence for a few minutes, but Danny couldn't focus. Vlad was so close to him, yet so far, their thighs almost touching. Danny's ears were ringing. He tried to keep his eyes focused on the cartoon, but kept losing himself to his thoughts. Anxiously, he glanced down at Vlad's hand, which rested on the man's thigh.

Danny really wanted to hold it.

Withholding his breath, Danny curled his fingers in thought. It was definitely not one of his best ideas, let alone a good idea at all. That never stopped him before, though.

Steeling himself, Danny brought his legs up on the couch, curling up against Vlad's side. 

There was an awkward pause.

Danny swallowed, feeling a little uncomfortable about the whole thing.

Just as he was going to pull away and act like he hadn’t made such a move, Vlad snorted, and wrapped an arm around Danny's shoulder.

"Are you sure you aren't falling for me, little badger?" He teased.

Danny fought off embarrassment as he retorted.

"In your dreams," He huffed. "Like I could seriously fall for a fruit loop like you."

Vlad chuckled.

"I certainly hope not."

Danny felt his heart sink at that, but pushed the feeling away. He knew Vlad was right. He knew they would never be together, and that was fine.

Danny would lie to himself as much as he had to.

_____________

Summer was going by far faster than Danny would have liked. 

To his dismay, his and Vlad's little viewing party seemed to be a one time occurrence. Danny would be lying if he said that wasn't terribly disappointing; the domesticity of the whole thing left him feeling giddy and warm, but most of all, safe and secure.

It was Saturday. Danny found himself at the Nasty Burger with Sam and Tucker for one reason or another, all the while lamenting his whole "forbidden feelings" situation. He had been more and more mentally absent as the weeks passed, but either Sam and Tucker didn't notice, or didn't seem to mind, so it was fine.

Idly, Danny dipped a fry into his chocolate shake, swirling it in the frozen treat with a slight lethargy. He sighed, chin leaning on his free palm, elbow resting on the table, and slowly brought the fry to his mouth. He repeated the action with another couple of fries.

"So, summer's almost over, huh…" Tucker began, cleaning the juices from his freshly finished burger off his hands with a napkin. "It really went by fast. I'm not sure I'm ready to jump into senior year," He laughed sheepishly. “Like--what even _is there_ after school? I feel like I’ve spent all this time and _still_ don’t know what I want.”

"Tell me about it," Sam replied, taking a sip from her soda. "But it's been an okay summer, I think." She hesitated, glancing at Danny with a frown. "For some of us more than others, I'm sure."

"Huh?" Danny asked, not liking the look Sam sent his way. "What are you talking about?"

Tucker stiffened, recognizing the turn the conversation was about to take. That reaction, unfortunately, prompted Danny to know what Sam was about to go on about as well.

"Did you stop sleeping with him?" She asked (although it felt more like an accusation), crossing her arms.

Danny felt cold, and averted his gaze.

"Does Vlad attacking less tell you anything?" Came his breezy reply, surprising even himself--on the inside, he was panicking. His friends didn't need to know that the reason for the less frequent attacks was since he simply went over to Vlad's house, opting to skip the "foreplay", or that Vlad was over at his house twice a week, anyway.

Sam looked doubtful.

"Really?" She pressed.

"Yeah." Danny sighed, a frown all too apparent on his face.

Tucker cleared his throat, looking between the two. 

"Well, you've been so out of it lately, so _if_ that’s true…." He remarked. "Don't tell me you're really that depressed over your arch nemesis."

Danny cursed how transparent he apparently was with his issues.

"I'm not."

Sam and Tucker glanced at each other skeptically. Danny didn't like that, and scoffed.

"What? I said I'm not, so I'm not."

"I didn't say anything," Tucker insisted with a worried frown.

"...Danny," Sam began slowly. "What's up, then?"

Danny sighed, looking between his friends. 

"Just, ah," He smiled sheepishly. "Depressed about summer ending."

It wasn't a lie.

Summers end meant no more sleeping with Vlad.

No more seeing Vlad, or spending what little treasured time he could with the man.

"Time just goes too fast…" He mumbled, picking up a forgotten fry and eating it.

Danny felt lachrymose.

"Well," Sam replied empathetically. "We always have each other, no matter how far apart we are."

Danny offered a weak smile, nodding.

"Yeah, that's true."

Silence fell over the table, and Danny got caught adrift in the stream of his thoughts again.

He wondered if Vlad would miss him.

"Hey," Tucker perked up, interrupting Danny's musings. "At least we have the Amity Park Summer Festival tomorrow, right?" He grinned. "It'll be a hoot n' a half."

The summer festival…

Danny blinked, and a thought occurred to him. Vlad would obviously be present, as mayor. That would perhaps allow them time to have another rendezvous. It wasn't much, but at least they could spend time together--assuming Vlad made any for him in the midst of the event.

"It's become a pretty loaded feature," Sam hummed, pulling out her phone and tapping away on it briefly. She read off the screen. "_The Amity Park Summer Festival is an annual celebration of our community featuring music, comedy, theater, dance_\--geez, who wrote this? It goes on forever," Sam laughed, continuing. "Let's see, events, events…"

Danny cocked his head curiously. He'd missed the festival the last few summers, having visited Amity Park for shorter periods of time, missing the festival period. It would be the first time since he was 18 that he'd attend, if he decided to go. 

"Geesh, sounds like it's gotten a lot bigger," He frowned, rubbing the back of his neck. "You'd think ghosts would attack or something."

"You’re telling me," Sam replied with a furrowed brow. "There's a concert featuring local bands in the evening, plays and musicals throughout the day...a lot more. There's food stands and trucks all day, too. And, get this, the final event is a ballroom style dance in the courtyard of the botanical gardens." She mock-gagged. "That's _so_ cheesy. And re: ghosts, I don't think we have to worry about that. Vlad's been pretty good at keeping them away the past few years during the festival. I don't think he'd stop that his last year."

Danny's breath caught in his throat at the mention of Vlad. His heart stuttered as he thought of spinning for at least one, starry, moonlit dance in the middle of the botanical gardens in Vlad's arms. Sure, Danny had no idea how to dance, let alone ballroom style, but the thought alone damn near killed him. Something about the way Vlad would look at him fondly, shrouded in moonlight...the intimacy of the situation, even in theory, was overwhelming. With a defeated and weak smile, Danny visibly deflated, catching the attention of his friends.

"...Alright," Sam started after a moment of hesitation. "Out with it. What's going on with Vlad?"

Danny looked up, eyes flitting rapidly between his friends as he gaped. He searched for words to say, biting his lip nervously. What could he say to deceive them? There was no way he could just come out and tell them about everything that had been happening with the older man.

"...Are you seriously trying to come up with a lie?" Tucker teased, smiling sympathetically. 

"No--Okay, yeah, fine," Danny sighed in exasperation. "Maybe there is...a, um, Vlad issue." 

"_Are you_ still sleeping with him?" Tucker asked slowly. 

Danny knew both his friends knew the answer, but at this point there was no harm in confirming the statement.

"Yeah," He admitted quietly. Sam and Tucker weren't surprised, at least didn't act it, but Danny knew they were absolutely disappointed and disapproving. He’d be more surprised if they weren’t. "It's…"

"So...obviously there's a problem. What is it? Aside from the obvious, glaring issues with that whole situation." Sam stated.

Danny hesitated, but was met with both patience and (sort of) support from his friends.

"I…" He licked his lips, eyes downcast to his milkshake. "I think I like him," Danny mumbled. "I mean...I know I do. A lot."

He didn't dare look up to see his friends expressions--he was certain he could picture them with clarity anyhow.

“You…_like_ him? Like, _like_\--”

“Yes,” Came Danny’s immediate, chagrined interruption. Anxiously, he continued. "But I know that nothing can happen. Or will happen. And I just...I don't know. It's really disappointing..." He finished lamely.

"I thought you said it didn't matter?" Sam frowned. "I...I can't believe you have a crush on Vlad."

There was no point in denying it, as odd as the statement felt to Danny.

"Dude," Tucker interjected softly, in an attempt to sound comforting, but also to keep their discussion away from prying ears. "As much as I hate to bring you down, you already have your answer. There's no way a guy in his late-forties-early-fifties is going to date a 22 year old."

"23," Danny corrected with a frown--his birthday had been on June 21st. He knew that his age didn't help his case either way, though. "He's already sleeping with me, so...and besides, we kind of had a date." 

Sam and Tucker's faces would have been laughable if Danny weren't so down.

"You _did?_"

"I mean, not really. It wasn’t a date, but it _was_, and..." Danny sighed. "It was a few weeks ago. I went over to his place and we just cuddled and watched Scooby Doo." He felt his face heat up at both the memory and the admission. "We didn't have sex, either. I don't know, it...it was different."

Tucker scrunched up his nose. "I mean, that does sound sort of, uh...intimate. I guess." He didn't look at Danny as he spoke. "But it doesn't change the fact that you're seriously deluding yourself if you really think anything can happen between you guys."

Danny set his jaw, feeling a numbness that usually preceded watery eyes. He didn't blink as he felt tears prick his vision, sight going blurry--he just had to wait it out, and the tears would go away on their own.

"Danny, it's...just a crush. You'll get over it."

Danny wasn't sure he would.

"Yeah." He replied with hushed reluctance. "Besides, Summer's almost over. It's not like I can keep sleeping with him from Colorado."

Unless of course, Vlad still owned his chalet, but even then, that was a stone's throw away from Danny's university. Vlad wouldn’t exert that much effort for the simple pleasure of sex. Their situation was only because it was convenient.

"Ohh, so that's why you're depressed Summer's almost over," Tucker teased, smirking as though he figured Danny out. When Danny didn't respond with anything akin to laughter, Tucker backpedaled. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Sorry."

"I mean, you're not wrong," Danny admitted, trying to discreetly rub at his eyes. He knew the other two noticed, but they didn’t say anything. "Just--everything about the situation is depressing." 

Neither Sam nor Tucker knew how to reply--there wasn't exactly a solution for Danny's problem; no solution Danny liked, that is, and all three knew it. But most importantly, Danny knew it, and his friends made it obvious what their stance on the situation was more times than Danny cared to count.

Sam cleared her throat and changed the subject.

"Well, let's focus on the Summer Festival. We'll just chill and you won't have to think about your whole hopeless crush."

Danny groaned, slamming his head down on the table.

He supposed she was right.

_____________

The Summer Festival was in full swing. Danny, Sam, and Tucker had been wandering around for a few hours, playing festival games and enjoying the food and live music. They attended a local production of some musical Danny had already forgotten the name of, but the music was fun and the production was touching, in a way (something about becoming a male stripper to connect with your son--an odd premise, although Danny knew there was more to it than that).

It was half past 5 P.M., now. The trio wandered a little more, and Danny was surprised he hadn't even caught a glimpse of Vlad yet. 

In a way, it bummed him out. He wanted to at least _try_ sneaking off somewhere to fuck Vlad, but Danny hadn't even gotten the chance. The festival was almost over.

Danny nibbled on some cinnamon sugar toasted almonds that were far too overpriced for what they were, mood souring. 

"You okay, Danny?" 

"Yeah. Just tired." 

"We have been walking around a lot," Sam replied thoughtfully. "The concerts gonna start in an hour, then runs til 11."

Danny blinked, lifting his head when a thought occurred to him. "What about that botanical garden thing?"

Sam paused, glancing at him before speaking slowly. "It starts at 10. Runs til midnight."

"Hm…" 

"Dude, seriously, don't even think about it. That's a hole that'll hurt to tumble down." Tucker warned.

"I wasn't thinking of anything," Danny mumbled, crumpling up his wrapper and tossing it as they walked passed some trash cans. "But that dance has an open bar, right?" He grinned at his friends. "And food trucks. It could be fun to hang out at."

"Actually, yeah, that sounds pretty good," Sam agreed, smiling. 

They didn’t need to know (but they totally _did_ know) that Danny was daydreaming of slow-dancing with Vlad. He could keep up the illusion that he wanted to go for any other reason, though.

Danny paused as a familiar voice broke out in laughter, and he whipped his head around until his eyes landed on none other than Vlad--Vlad, laughing loudly and unashamedly with Danny's parents as they no doubt joked about...well, something. What, Danny didn't really care about.

Danny was dazzled by the sight.

Vlad looked so happy, so...adorable, even. Danny loved his smile, the way he could identify Vlad’s sharp canines, even from so far away, and the way he threw his head back in happy laughter. Danny watched the older man in awe. Vlad looking truly happy was a foreign yet welcome sight. Heat radiated from Danny’s cheeks as he couldn't help but smile, too.

"Oh my _god_," Sam remarked. "It's worse than I thought." 

Danny blinked, looking at her, and scoffed at her strangely smug expression. 

"I--...I don't know what you're talking about."

"You look like, uh, super lovestruck, dude," Tucker added sheepishly. "Imagine telling your younger self about this."

"I'd seriously rather not." Danny grimaced. He was certain that if he told himself from even 6 months ago about this situation that he'd be disgusted. There was just so much he wouldn’t understand.

Danny looked back to his parents and Vlad, and his gaze caught hold of Vlad's. They stared at one another for a moment before Vlad smiled, leaning over to say something to Jack and Maddie.

Shortly after, his parents looked their way and beamed, and the adult trio made their way for the younger three. Danny's heart hammered in his chest with each of Vlad’s footsteps, not once breaking the eye contact, up until he licked his lips. Vlad’s eyes darted down and back up at that, and excitement rattled him.

"Danny! Sam! Tucker!" Jack yelled excitedly. "Are you kids having fun?"

Danny frowned.

"We're not kids, dad," He protested. Danny didn't miss how Vlad smirked and raised a brow at him, making him feel remarkably self conscious.

Jack cocked his head and shrugged. Maddie laughed. 

"So! Have you won any games or anything? I have!" Jack exclaimed, proudly holding up a pack of sparklers.

"That's ...definitely a prize," Sam snorted.

"Cooler than a stuffed animal, at least." Tucker added.

It'd be nice to win a stuffed animal for Vlad, or to receive one from Vlad…

Danny's face turned red as he internally admonished himself for the thought, snapping his head away from Vlad.

Maddie laughed. "A prize is a prize," She offered, linking an arm around Jack's. 

"That's right, baby!" Jack grinned, laughing boisterously.

Vlad rolled his eyes and leaned a hand on his hip, shifting his weight. "Be that as it may," He hummed. "Are you three enjoying yourselves? Surely you haven’t run out of things to do.”

Just like that, Danny’s focus was back on the man.

"Yeah, we are," He replied quickly, as if trying to keep Vlad's attention on him. "We've done a ton of stuff! Like, we did the rubber duck race this morning, and I made some guy fall in the water tank, and then we watched, uh, some musical, not to mention all the food is super good--aaaand why am I still talking," Danny laughed sheepishly, breaking eye contact with Vlad as he knocked himself gently on the forehead with the heel of his palm.

"That's my boy! Jack laughed, coming up next to Danny and slapping him on the back, Danny coughed, righting his posture. "A Fenton's gotta have the best aim above all other men--perfect practice for hunting ghosts."

"Oh, I'm sure my aim is _far_ better," Vlad challenged, grinning smugly at Danny. Danny met his gaze once more with a hesitant grin, crossing his arms. 

"Oh yeah? Wanna prove it?" 

"Is that a challenge, Daniel?"

The two seemed to completely forget about the other four, wrapped away in their own banter.

"Definitely. I'll take you on." Danny stomped towards Vlad, grabbing the man by the sleeve and dragging him in the direction of the slingshot tent.

"We'll be back!" Danny yelled, grinning to his parents who were none the wiser before his gaze briefly fell on Sam and Tucker--their expressions were far more unimpressed, knowing the true intentions behind the scene. 

Danny ignored that, though.

Vlad chuckled as Danny dragged him through droves of people, walking past the slingshot tent. 

"My, my," Vlad began, allowing Danny to pull him along as they took a sharp turn into a narrow opening between two booths, slipping behind an empty tent. "Where exactly do you plan on taking me?"

Danny huffed, frustrated--he wasn't sure where to go. Everywhere was so public that getting a moment alone with Vlad seemed near impossible.

"I have no idea," He grumbled, looking over his shoulder at Vlad before he released the man and crossed his arms. 

"Is that a pout?"

"_No_," Danny protested, fixing Vlad with an unamused stare. "I just--I want to--" 

"Hm," Vlad was smiling smugly. "Well, I'm sorry to say we might be out of luck, Little Badger."

"No way. I refuse to accept that." 

Vlad raised a brow at him.

"Daniel," He sighed, shaking his head. He placed one of his hands on the side of Danny's head, running his fingers through his hair with a fondness Danny couldn't place. Danny ducked his head, slightly embarrassed, and looked around.

They were out of sight right now, at least.

Disregarding his inhibitions, Danny stepped up to Vlad and kissed him.

Vlad did not return the kiss--not immediately, that is. It only took a moment before he was kissing Danny back, sliding his hand from Danny's hair to his cheek. As they continued to kiss, Vlad pushed Danny up against the wall of the tent, causing the other to stumble. Vlad grabbed him, righting Danny's balance before he could fall.

"This is," Vlad spoke breathlessly, seizing Danny's lips in another kiss. "Incredibly dangerous."

Danny grinned, biting Vlad's lower lip playfully. 

"That's the point," He teased, wrapping his arms around the older man. “And besides,” Danny bit at Vlad’s lip again, trying to force the man's mouth open. “I don’t see you,” Vlad took advantage of Danny’s speech to press his tongue into Danny’s mouth, cutting the rest of the sentence off. 

It wasn't sex, but a make-out session was still incredibly pleasant and welcome.

Ragged breaths were exchanged between swollen lips before Vlad reluctantly pulled away, holding Danny's face in place to prevent him from placing even one more kiss against his mouth. 

"That's enough for now," Vlad breathed, releasing Danny's face.

"Okay, fine, whatever." Danny agreed, looking away with mock disinterest. 

"We should get back. I'm sure you and your friends have plans."

"Nothing I can't step away from," Danny mumbled, resting his forehead against Vlad's collarbone in a daze. Vlad pat his back with a chuckle.

"Another time, Daniel."

_____________

Shuffling through the crowd, Vlad led the way back to Jack, Maddie, Sam and Tucker. Danny loosely clung to Vlad's jacket in an attempt to not get separated (so he told himself--but he liked how nearly intimate and domestic it felt). 

As their targets came into view, Vlad picked up his pace.

Upon the duo’s steady approach, Jack's eyes lit up. Maddie smiled excitedly as well--Sam and Tucker were a completely different story. Danny took note of how they looked over him with rapidfire glances, as if searching for evidence of _something_.

"So who won?!" Jack asked.

"It was a tie," Vlad hummed, shrugging. "Though in a rematch I'm certain I would come out on top."

Danny rolled his eyes.

"Oh, _definitely_, old man. I'm sure you would."

"I have at least 25 years of experience over you," Vlad retorted childishly. "And I'm not _old_." 

"Your experience alone is older than I am," Danny sneered right back, crossing his arms. "_Old man_."

It was an odd exchange to witness, Danny was sure. Both his parents and his friends said nothing, simply watching wordlessly.

Vlad rolled his eyes, scoffing.

"Anyway," Maddie interrupted, smiling awkwardly. "Vlad, didn't you want to go see that play? What was it, A Comedy of Errors?" 

"Oh, I almost forgot," Vlad nodded, all but forgetting his and Danny's exchange. "Yes, and after we can head to the botanical gardens for the Stardust Waltz."

Danny almost lost it at the name. What a stupid name for a dance event. Still, he ignored the giddiness he felt at the thought. 

Jack groaned with a pout. "Do we really have to see that play? It'll be so _boring_."

"Jack, it won't be that long." Maddie offered apologetically.

As the older trio continued on, Danny returned to Sam and Tucker as if nothing had happened. Vlad's words echoed in his ears, though--it all came back to that dance.

Danny already knew they were going, but if Vlad would be there, it was all the more incentive to go.

And maybe he'd get the chance to dance with Vlad...but Danny wasn't getting his hopes up (_too_ high up, at least).

Sam gave him a skeptical stare, sighing. 

"Really? Here?" She whispered aggressively as to not be overheard by Danny's parents and Vlad.

Danny blinked before he burst out laughing.

"We didn't do anything," He flashed her a lopsided grin as he whispered back. "Well, nothing below the belt, at least."

"You're unbelievable."

"I know," Danny replied smugly, resuming a normal tone.

The two trio's split, and Danny was left alone to spiral into his thoughts for the duration of the concert.

_____________

Danny glanced at the time on his cellphone as the concert drew to a close. 

10:56.

That meant they still had an hour to make it to the botanical gardens.

“Are you guys ready to go?” Danny asked, a little hurried. 

Sam nodded as she pulled out her own phone to check the time, and smiled. Tucker came up next to her, glancing at the time on her phone.

“Yeah, sounds good.”

Danny wasted no time in leading them to the exit. 

“Do you know where you’re going?” Tucker snorted. It was obvious he assumed Danny didn’t.

Danny, mildly surprising even himself, did. Well, it wasn’t _all_ too surprising; he spent at least a good ten minutes studying the festival map and planning out their escape route from concert to dance. 

“Yep!” He grinned over his shoulder at Tucker as he lead the way. “It’s this way.”

Once they left the concert venue, the crowds along the streets thinned out, until the three had an easier time walking about. Danny could see the botanical gardens silhouetted on the horizon. On cue, his stomach twisted and his BPM accelerated. 

They entered the outdoor garden of the venue through a rosy archway, and Danny looked around in wonder. The gardens were so beautiful when basking in the light of the stars. White roses reflected brilliant moonbeams, catching Danny’s eyes the most above all the other foliage. 

It seemed that this was where the food trucks had to stay, as it’d be quite difficult for them to enter the building. Groups of people milled about, sitting on benches and laughing as they ate. Danny knew that further down the path would lead them to the heart of the event.

Without realizing, he started walking faster. Sam and Tucker lagged behind, but he didn’t notice.

The door to the indoor gardens laid before him. His hand launched for the handle and he twisted it open, walking inside. 

The sight of the courtyard was breaktaking and exciting. The ceilings were high, covered in a dome, and the stars could be seen through the vaulted glass. The courtyard was lit with warm lights, string lights adorning the area as well, but for the most part, starlight illuminated the space. A fountain sat in the center, and couples danced around it as a quartet played a slow song off to the side, along with a singer. Danny suddenly felt disgustingly out of place and wildly underdressed.

“Oh, sweet,” Tucker exclaimed, drawing Danny from his reverie. “Open bar!” 

Tucker began to wander off to the left, in what Danny assumed was the direction of said bar.

“Aw yeah,” Sam laughed, following Tucker’s lead. She stopped, glancing back at Danny. “Danny?”

“You go ahead, I’m gonna look around a bit.”

Sam hesitated, about to speak, but then decided against it. Danny was grateful for that. With a nod, she followed after Tucker.

Danny allowed his gaze to linger on his friends briefly, examining that side of the space--there was a section of tables splayed in orbit around the bar, most filled with friends and families drinking in good company. At this point in the night, there was fortunately not too many people around, so it wasn’t overcrowded. 

It was, however, enough people that Danny could get away with dancing with Vlad without arousing suspicion. If only he could find Vlad.

Danny decidedly started walking toward the bar himself, scanning the courtyard for any sign of the mayor. His eyes fell on his parents, Maddie in Jack’s arms, as they swayed with an uncharacteristic slow tenderness that sort of embarrassed Danny. At the same time, he couldn’t help but feel almost jealous of it, and--

Danny bumped into somebody as his focus was astray, and their drink spilled over Danny’s shirt. Danny yelped, focus shifting to the offending cold liquid seeping through. Shock bled into mild irritation, and Danny glared at the man. Color drained from his face and his heart hammered in his chest.

“Vlad!” He exclaimed, lowering his head in embarrassment.

“You should really watch where you’re going,” Vlad began with an unimpressed look, tone to match it. Yet, the man had the gall to smile. “Now you’re all wet.”

“Who’s fault is that?”

“I wasn’t the one walking without paying attention,” Vlad defended. “Come, the bathroom is this way.” 

Vlad moved to an empty table, setting the two plastic cups in his hand down. Danny blinked. 

“I never took you for a person who’d double-fist drinks,” Danny hummed.

Vlad didn’t reply initially, instead taking Danny’s hand and dragging him from the courtyard. Danny wanted to protest, but the cool air against the wet fabric on his skin was chilling. He let himself be dragged.

“The other drink wasn’t for me,” Vlad stated quietly as he pulled Danny into the bathroom, leading him to the sink. He grabbed paper towels and wet them in the sink before returning to Danny’s shirt to dab at the alcohol stain. 

“Oh? Who was it for?” Danny grinned, unsure what to do with his hands as Vlad worked on the stain. “Your _mistress_?” He teased.

“...I...suppose you could say that,” Vlad smiled, and Danny’s face fell. 

_“What?”_ Danny replied a little too sharply, causing Vlad’s hands to pause for a moment. Vlad looked up to meet his gaze with an odd curiosity, and Danny….well, Danny felt _pissed_. He knew he shouldn’t, but… “Who?” He demanded.

Vlad stared at him for a moment, and with a shake of his head and a laugh, returned to cleaning Danny’s shirt. Danny’s chest constricted in pain, feeling like an idiot. He knew he wasn’t supposed to like Vlad like this, he knew he wasn’t supposed to be upset at the idea of Vlad having somebody the man would actually call his _lover_, and yet here he was. 

Vlad licked his lips before speaking slowly, the amused smile never leaving his face.

“Well, what else would you have me call you, Daniel?” He asked nonchalantly, tossing the paper towel in the trash before grabbing another, leaving this one dry, continuing to wipe the stain.

Danny stared at him as the words sunk in, and suddenly Danny felt like he was on fire with a stupid giddiness that he couldn’t stave off. His face was surely brilliantly red as he cast his gaze off to the side, but he couldn’t help the huge grin that forced its way onto his face at Vlad’s words.

Danny didn’t know how to reply, so he didn’t. Instead, he basked in the warm glee that lit his body on fire so delightfully, and watched Vlad lift the stain from his shirt. After a beat, Danny spoke again.

“You still spilled it on me though. You’re gonna have to make it up to me.”

Satisfied with his work, the stain now barely visible, Vlad stood up straight. He tossed the paper towel. 

“Am I?” He laughed, making his way for the bathroom’s exit. Danny followed, coming into step with Vlad as they made their way back to the courtyard. “I suppose I’ll have to buy you another drink then, hm?”

“I had something else in mind, actually.”

Vlad paused, glancing down at Danny with a suggestive stare. 

“Ah. I see.”

“Y’know, for once, I don’t think you do,” Danny confessed, nervousness slipping into his tone.

The two entered the courtyard again. Danny glanced around, noting as nobody paid their entrance any mind. After a pregnant pause, Danny walked toward the center of the space where other couples danced and twirled. He stopped only when Vlad didn’t follow, and cast his gaze over his shoulder back at the man. Vlad watched Danny with blatant curiosity. 

“See, uh,” Danny began sheepishly, scratching his chin. “I don’t know how to dance,” He near mumbled, just loud enough that Vlad could still hear him. “Could...you teach me?”

It was a little underhanded, Danny supposed, as a means to make Vlad dance with him, but Danny was far passed the point of caring. Vlad hesitated, eyes wandering around the room before they fell back on Danny. Danny really hoped Vlad wouldn’t deny his request.

“I’m...appalled,” Vlad began in disbelief. Danny almost winced at the tone, but Vlad continued. “23 years of your life, and you _don’t_ know _how_ to dance? Unbelievable.” 

He strode next to Danny’s side, and then ahead of him as he made his way for the dancefloor.

Danny smiled. The quartet finished their song, and couples splitting apart and clapping followed as the musicians set up for the next song. 

“I mean, I could probably figure it out,” He hummed, following Vlad eagerly. “But I sort of don’t have any rhythm.”

“I disagree,” Vlad hummed, turning to face Danny as they stood in the midst of other couples preparing for the next dance. Danny’s heart raced as Vlad held a hand out for Danny to take. “I think you’d be surprised in what I can teach you.”

“I like to think I’m already pretty good at following your lead,” Danny remarked. “So, no. I don’t think I’ll be surprised.”

He took Vlad’s hand in his own and felt a shock go through his whole system. Vlad’s other hand came to wrap around the small of Danny’s back, resting comfortably there. 

“Now,” Vlad hummed, nodding toward his own shoulder. “Place your free arm around my shoulder.”

As Vlad spoke, the quartet began to play again. The tune was familiar to Danny, but he couldn’t place it quite yet. He was sure he’d figure it out at some point, but his focus was elsewhere at the moment.

Danny complied with Vlad’s command. He couldn’t help but blush when they were in, what Danny assumed, was the correct position. It was intimate, and Danny slowly wondered if he was in over his head (he _absolutely_ was). Heat radiated from the hand that held Danny’s back, seeping through Danny’s shirt and leaving him feeling burned--not in a bad way, but the sensation was there.

Vlad took a step back, starting to lead them in a waltz. Danny focused on his steps, picking up on the tempo Vlad set almost instantaneously. He may have told a lie--he had danced a couple times before in his life, and actually had a good sense of rhythm. While the fact was true that he didn’t know how to dance, he understood it in principle, and could fill in the blanks on his own.

“Hm.” Vlad smiled as they moved, humming thoughtfully. “You’re full of surprises, Daniel.”

Danny didn’t reply. The singer at the front of the quartet began to sing, and Danny _immediately_ recognized the song, feeling his face warm up. He looked away from Vlad in embarrassment. 

Anxiously, he followed Vlad’s steps and quiet instructions when Vlad gave them, tightening his hold around Vlad’s neck. After a moment, Vlad spoke again.

“Do you know the original singer of this song, Daniel?”

“Huh?”

“Certainly you do, yes?”

Danny blushed, looking up into Vlad’s eyes, his heart beating fast.

“...Yeah,” He began. “Elvis Presley.”

“It’s a lovely song.” Vlad smiled, letting his eyes fall shut as he easily continued to lead their waltz. 

Just then, Danny stumbled over his own feet, falling back and out of Vlad’s hold. He didn’t have time to think about it, however, as it was quickly amended. Vlad caught him on reflex, staring down at Danny curiously before pulling him back upright and rearranging their position back to the start. Vlad smirked. 

“Don’t go falling now, Daniel,” He chuckled. Danny rolled his eyes. 

“Don’t worry, I won’t. Falling for _you_, might I remind you, is something that’ll never happen.” He teased, grinning.

Vlad laughed, that small, warm laugh that Danny only heard when they were alone and joking together. Vlad listened to the song and closed his eyes, and once he found the rhythm, moved the two back into their dance.

Danny watched Vlad in wonder as they spun. His ears tuned into the song, listening as the singer sang the final verse.

“_Take my hand,_” She sung, voice carrying wonderfully through the air. “_Take my whole life too,_” Vlad opened his eyes, gaze locking with Danny’s. “_For I can’t help falling in love with you_,” Danny felt his mouth go dry, the world around him falling away except for what was in front of him. All he could hear was the music and his own heart beat. The quartet slowed, and the singer took a breath. 

Danny craned his neck toward Vlad, who’s gaze softened. For a moment, Danny could swear Vlad was leaning down, but he didn’t have much time to dwell on that as Vlad broke their eye contact. 

Hesitantly, Danny rested his forehead against Vlad’s collarbone.

“_For I can’t help falling in love with you._”

The song finished, and couples broke apart and clapped. 

Danny stood still against Vlad, neither letting go of the others hold. 

“....Daniel,” Vlad began quietly, hand finally falling from Danny’s lower back. Danny lifted his head and looked up at Vlad curiously, dropping his own arm from around Vlad’s neck. Still, though, they held their clasped hands together. “Do you have any questions?”

“Huh?” Danny asked, face flushing. What could Vlad be implying? Surely not what he wanted to ask, right? There was no way, that after everything, Vlad was expecting Danny to ask if he liked him, too.

“About dancing,” Vlad clarified. Danny flustered. He took note that it made more sense than where his thoughts all but ran off to. “You seem to learn quickly,” He grinned smugly. “If I didn’t know any better, I would say you already knew how to dance.”

Danny released Vlad’s hand suddenly in favor of crossing his arms. “Nah,” he replied as smoothly as possible, shrugging his shoulders. “We just know each other well. Makes it easier to follow your lead when…” He trailed off, not really eager to talk about their sexual escapades in a throng of people, even if said people weren’t listening. Danny wasn’t taking the risk.

“I suppose that’s true,” Vlad smiled, turning to lead the two off the dance floor, back to the tables and open bar. “You’re used to following my lead.”

“Hey,” Danny huffed. “You’re the one following _my_ lead, sometimes, too.”

“Am I?” Vlad teased. “You have no rhythm, after all, how am I to be expected to predict your choices?”

“That’s what’s fun about me,” Danny grinned. “Your predictability complements my unpredictability.”

Vlad laughed and Danny felt happy.

“V-Man!” A strong voice carried over their conversation through the air, and the two turned their heads to see Jack and Maddie sitting at a table with drinks a couple yards away from them, Jack waving excitedly.

Vlad smiled, changing course for their table. Danny followed.

Vlad easily slid into an open chair, which left Danny to stand awkwardly. 

“Oh! Danny!” Jack yelled with a smile. “Didn’t see you, kiddo.”

Danny smiled to his father, and then his mother. He blinked curiously as Maddie met his gaze, surprised by the inquisitive look she gave him. After a moment, he looked away. He thought nothing of it. Danny shifted his weight from one leg to the other.

“Aren’t you with your friends, hun?” Maddie asked with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. 

“Oh, yeah,” Danny laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. “I went to the bathroom and ran into Vlad.” He explained. A half lie.

“Yes, well, Daniel's only telling half the story,” Vlad began. Danny stilled, fixing Vlad with a warning glare. There was no way Vlad was actually stupid enough to talk about what they just did. “He spilled his drink all over his shirt,” Vlad gestured to the ghost of a stain for effect. “And obviously I couldn’t just stand there and do nothing.”

Danny relaxed, but still fixed Vlad with an annoyed glance. 

“Aah, I see, I see,” Maddie smiled. “That sounds like Danny.”

“Hey.”

“Yes, he can be quite clumsy. He takes after Jack like that.”

“HEY.” This time, both Jack and Danny replied in unison.

Vlad and Maddie began to laugh at their expenses, and Danny crossed his arms in a huff.

“Ugh, whatever! I’m going to find Sam and Tucker,” He grumbled, turning on his heel and stomping off. As he walked away, he idly listened as Maddie began to speak again.

”Vlad, I need to talk to you about…”

Danny didn’t hear the end of the sentence as he walked away. 

After a minute, Danny found his friends loitering around the open bar, and sped up to a jog next to them.

“There you guys are!” He grinned, digging his hands through his pockets for some cash as he eyed the menu.

“There _you_ are,” Tucker began. “Where’d you go?”

Danny smiled as he procured a five dollar bill. 

“I was walking over to you guys when Vlad bumped into me and spilled his drink on me,” He gestured at his own shirt, followed by an aloof shrug. Sam rolled her eyes.

“Ohhh. I see. _Of course_ he needed an excuse to get you alone.”

Danny held back a laugh. While the thought had crossed his mind to fuck Vlad in the bathroom, Danny was far more satisfied with the actual events that went down.

Admittedly, however, it was better for Sam and Tucker to think that instead of knowing that Danny had danced with Vlad. 

“Yeah,” He agreed with a smug smile, approaching the bartender and ordering a cheap beer. He traded the bill for the bottle.

“I can’t believe how _easy_ you make it look,” Tucker hummed, taking a swig from his own plastic cup of what looked like a gin and tonic. “Then again, your situation sucks. I take it back.”

Danny allowed himself to laugh, too giddy to be brought down by the reality of his situation. The way Vlad held him, looked at him, and even spoke to him--Danny refused to believe it was anything less than romantic. He just had to bide his time before he could say anything to Vlad.

In that moment, Danny decided that he would tell Vlad how he felt before the summer ended.

_____________

The end of the dance marked the end of the festival itself, and before Danny knew it, he parted ways with Sam and Tucker. Sam offered to give him a ride, but Danny declined--he decided he would much rather fly home to ruminate with his thoughts after tonight. Tucker left with Sam, leaving Danny alone in the now empty courtyard, aside from some workers cleaning up.

Danny tossed his beer bottle in a recycling bin and made his exit from the garden.

As he walked outside, he took in a deep breath. The night air was both warm and cool, sitting at the ideal temperature for a night flight. Danny smiled, stretching his arms up in the air as he yawned. There was not a cloud in sight as the brightness of the moon alone illuminated the night. Nights like tonight were Danny’s favorite for stargazing. 

Something moved in the corner of his eye, and he turned to look up at the source. With a blink, Danny realized that somebody was on the balcony of the garden on the second floor. Danny squinted, trying to make the figure out, and grinned widely when he realized who it was.

By this point, not many people were around--Danny shifted from Fenton to Phantom with practiced ease. He idly wondered if that drew notice to himself--surely it did. It wasn’t like Danny could go ghost without a trace when it came to the man. With a small sigh, Danny drifted up the siding of the balcony, floating directly in front of Vlad.

Danny scrunched his nose as the smell of tobacco filled his nostrils, and he realized Vlad had been smoking. Danny didn’t know Vlad smoked--he’d never smelt the scent on him _ever_ before.

Vlad blinked, watching Danny as he perched along the railing.

“I didn’t know you smoked,” Danny commented.

“I don’t.”

Danny cocked his head at that, thrown off by Vlad's demeanor. He knew there was no point in pressing the matter further, but Danny couldn’t help but wonder _why_ Vlad was smoking, if he supposedly didn’t smoke, which Danny believed wholeheartedly. What was the occasion? Instead, Danny asked a different question.

"What're you doing up here?" Danny inquired, throwing his legs off the edge as he transformed back to human.

Vlad appraised him with a calculative expression. 

"Thinking." He replied simply. "It's quiet up here. Unlike you." 

Danny smiled bashfully, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Oh, uh, sorry,” Danny felt a little guilty. It seemed like Vlad didn’t want any company, and probably wasn’t expecting any given the time. “I can...I can go, if I'm…" He trailed off briefly before Vlad shook his head, leaning on the railing next to Danny.

"No, no, it's quite alright. I enjoy your company." He took a drag from his cigarette, releasing the puff into the air. Danny watched the smoke spiral up before getting carried away by a warm breeze. Danny followed the smoke trail up to the sky.

The stars shone brightly, as the perfect, cloudless sky stretched far above them. The milky way lounged across its canvas, a bright band stretching above their zenith and dipping past the horizon. Danny cast his gaze further upward, admiring the constellations. His eyes fell on a particular star one side of the Milky Way and felt the need to speak. 

"You see that star there?" Danny pointed up at the particularly bright star in question, which glistened with a brilliant blue and white glow. Vlad cast his own gaze upwards, following the direction of Danny's finger. After a beat, Vlad nodded, and Danny continued. "That's Vega," He explained. "It's the brightest star in an asterism. It's also the brightest star in the constellation Lyra…"

Danny smiled, closing his eyes. "But that's...not important. If you look across the other side of the Milky Way," Danny opened his eyes again, searching for the star he had in mind. As he found it, he pointed yet again to the other star.

"That's Altair. Along with Deneb, the three make up the entirety of the Summer Triangle--the asterism I mentioned." 

Vlad hummed.

"You're rather knowledgeable about this," Vlad commented curiously, taking another pull from his cigarette.

"I like space," Danny offered in response. "There's always been something about it…I don't really know how to explain..."

Danny trailed off, glancing at Vlad before returning his eyes to the sky and continuing.

"Anyway, there's...this story I like, about Vega," He smiled, closing his eyes as a waning summer wind drifted through the air, sweeping through his hair. "Vega and Altair are separated by the Milky Way, also known as the Celestial River," Danny cocked his head thoughtfully. "I can't remember all of the names from the story, but...Vega represents a celestial goddess, and Altair represents a mortal. It's about their forbidden romance. Vega's father finds out, and forbids her from seeing the guy." Danny opened his eyes, allowing his gaze to wander to other constellations. "The two are placed in the sky, separated from each other. Y'know, by the Milky Way. But, once a year, the sky gods are forgiving, and they’re allowed to meet. The meeting comes on the seventh night of the seventh moon each year." 

"...And when, exactly, is that?"

"August 17th," Danny answered without hesitation. Vlad paused, and put out his cigarette before tossing it over the balcony.

"...That's today."

Danny blinked. "Is it? He laughed. "I didn't realize. I wasn't really planning to talk about this."

Vlad hesitated, gaze falling to watch Danny.

Danny didn't notice, eyes catching beams of starlight as he continued his story.

"...Altair makes his annual trip across the Celestial River, and the two reunite."

Danny finally looked down at Vlad, startling slightly as he met the man's sharp gaze. With a sheepish smile, Danny rubbed his nose.

It was unclear where Danny was intending to go with this, even to Danny himself; he honestly had no idea, but in a way, Danny supposed he projected his situation with Vlad onto the skylore. He broke eye contact with Vlad, eyes downcast.

"But, sometimes, Altair doesn't make it. The journey across the Celestial River is too dangerous. In that case, Vega's tears form raindrops that fall down onto earth."

"...That's quite the story," Vlad spoke softly, returning his eyes to the stars. "It's rather romantic."

"Yeah…" Danny agreed, glancing to Vlad with a nervousness he couldn't shake. Vlad was shrouded in starlight, the lighting nearly making the man shine, silver hair catching moonbeams as the Milky Way illuminated his eyes. Danny never before felt so close yet so far from him.

He had no idea what Vlad was thinking--which wasn't unusual, he supposed, but Danny had gotten pretty good at reading Vlad, if nothing else. So in a way, this situation was distressing. 

With a sigh, Danny scooted closer to Vlad, catching the other's attention. He turned his head to look at Vlad. Hesitantly, Danny reached out, cupping Vlad's face. The two stared at one another in silence. Maybe it was the night, or the stars, or simply a magnetic pull between them, but Danny found his lips pressed against Vlad's after a single moment. The kiss was soft, slow, quiet, and methodical--it sent a spark through Danny's system, causing the young half-ghost to shiver.

It was tender.

Vlad was the first to pull away, looking into Danny's eyes with an almost melancholic note. Danny simply smiled, leaning his forehead against Vlad's. Whatever was on Vlad’s mind, surely Danny could help. What could he say to help, though…?

"Y'know, in a way, we're like Vega and Altair." The words were out of Danny's mouth before he could stop to think on them any further. With a slow pull of his forehead away from Vlad's, he cast his eyes downwards before he continued to speak. "Like...forbidden lovers. What we're doing is kinda like that."

"What?" Vlad began. "Well, I...suppose you could say that," Vlad spoke carefully, eyes wary as he appraised Danny. "But we're not lovers."

"We could be."

A pall of thick silence fell over the two. Vlad stared at Danny, opening and closing his mouth a few times, unable to find the right words to say. Danny wasn’t expecting that--he was expecting to be teased, to be told he was falling for Vlad again, but it never came. 

Danny swallowed nervously, chancing a glance up at Vlad's face.

He didn't recognize the expression. 

"...Daniel," Vlad began slowly. "What are you saying?"

"W...What are _you_ saying?" Danny replied apprehensively. "I'm...saying…"

Danny sighed, running a hand through his hair before craning his neck back up to the sky.

"...I'm in love with you."

Danny could feel Vlad go still--in his breath, his posture, his very presence--and there it was. 

It was everything that Danny knew he shouldn't have said; everything Danny wasn’t supposed to say, or even feel, for that matter--but there was no taking it back now.

"You're...in love with me." Vlad repeated, staring at him with eyes wide like the moon with what Danny could only assume was disbelief.

"Y...Yeah," Danny's voice cracked.

"...Maybe this,” Vlad began carefully, “What we've been doing I mean--this was a mistake," His voice carried a sinking weight to it, guilt riddled across the man’s face. "I never anticipated you would harbor feelings for me--that you would grow attached to me," Vlad averted his eyes. "You know better, Daniel."

“And you aren’t?” Danny began desperately. "Can you really stand there and tell me you don't feel _something?_" His voice broke again.

“Whether or not I am or do doesn’t matter,” Vlad replied easily. Danny was unendingly frustrated by how nonchalant his tone was. "Daniel, you don't know what you want." 

A beat passed. Before Danny could protest the statement, Vlad continued.

"You're only 23." The admission and recognition of the fact seemed to make Vlad uncomfortable. If Danny weren't so stressed by their conversation, he might have been touched that Vlad knew his age. "You don't love me."

"How do you know? Who are you to say what I do and don’t want? What I do and don't _feel?"_

“_Daniel._” Vlad warned.

"Why--Why can't I love you? Is that really so outside of the realm of possibility?"

"It is," Vlad replied smoothly. "Because _you can't._ It isn't possible--you know that."

Danny deflated, averting his eyes from Vlad. Danny frowned, crossing his arms and staring holes into the ground.

"I…" He let out a sad chuckle, pathetically looking back at Vlad. Reluctantly, the other met his gaze. "But _do you_ love me?" He asked, wincing at the patheticness in his own tone.

"Daniel, again, that doesn't matter."

"Yeah, it does," Danny insisted. "Because if you feel the same way, then I don't get why we can't be...t...together. Just like," Danny ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "Whatever we're doing, it's not much different, why can't we keep doing it but...more? Doesn't that sound like a good plan to you?" Danny licked his dry lips before continuing. “We both know you’re sad and alone and--I just. You don’t have to be. You have me.”

Vlad furrowed his brow. For a moment, Danny was certain he’d gone and said the wrong thing. But that was before Vlad took Danny's hand into his own. He wouldn't meet Danny's gaze, though, his eyes fixated on their interlocking fingers. Heart marching like a drum in his ears, Danny held his breath as he felt heat rise to his cheeks, all while Vlad simply held his hand.

"It isn't a good idea, Daniel…" Vlad replied weakly. 

"So? What we're doing _now_ isn't a good idea."

Danny smiled, hope bubbling in his chest. If Vlad were to say something like that, then surely he had to feel the same way, at least in some capacity. Danny had nothing left but hope. Vlad met his gaze, smiling weakly, but something about it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Daniel, if...if I loved you, then yes, that would be a wonderful plan," Vlad spoke carefully, hesitating before speaking the following sentence:

"But I don't love you."

Those five words hit Danny like a truck. Part of him saw them coming, but the delusional part of his brain had ignored the possibility. Somehow _hearing_ the words made the sharp, sinking, twisting pain in his chest so much worse than it had been for the past month, living naively in the illusion that his feelings could be reciprocated.

"Okay," Danny replied robotically. "Got it."

Turning away from Vlad, Danny yanked his hand away from the other’s hold, staring straight forward. He felt tears tear their way from his eyes, and he felt oddly cold--all the while, he burned.

"I'm…" Vlad looked away from Danny. "I'm sorry you misunderstood our arrangement."

Danny couldn't stop the tears from falling. Vlad looked back over to him, that same guilt ridden expression adorning his face. 

Danny hated it.

"Daniel, please don't cry--"

“I don’t need your _pity_, of all things.” He replied bitingly, his voice wavering as his emotions got the better of him. “I knew this was coming to an end, anyway.”

Vlad hesitated at that--did the man seriously and sincerely believe that their arrangement could continue once summer ended?

With a sharp inhale, Danny rubbed at his eyes, but try as he might, he couldn’t stop crying. Sadness and disappointment bled into irritation and frustration, and it pissed him off to no end that he couldn’t stop crying. In front of Vlad, _because_ of Vlad, to add insult to injury. 

It wasn’t supposed to mean anything.

Danny froze as Vlad came to stand in front of him, pulling him into an embrace. Danny felt his heart pound, and he couldn’t stop himself from clinging to Vlad in desperation. With a broken cry, Danny buried his face against the crook of Vlad’s neck, allowing himself to sob. Vlad held him tighter, rubbing circles against his back.

It didn’t help. It wasn’t right. Why did Vlad think it was okay to do this to him? To toy with Danny’s feelings like this?

_Because Danny wasn’t supposed to get attached, and both of them knew that._

So, in truth, Vlad was showing him a kindness, he supposed. 

That didn’t make it fair.


End file.
